Jul 29

Jul 29 The Metagamer

Back when we first started Dump Stat, I started with a few articles about the different types of players you'll encounter at a D&D table. These DnD players sit at the table and drive the other players out of their minds for various reasons. I forgot about these posts as we started to grow, but as I read through our older articles, I realized I had found another series I needed to start up again. I know everything below, and more has been said in countless articles and probably in a more literate way. That said, this type of player annoys me the most, so I feel it is worth repeating. Without further ado, let me introduce that annoying jackass, the Metagamer.

Metagamer

(Noun) - The act of making use of knowledge while roleplaying that a player has learned out of character, which their character does not know; often considered a form of cheating. (Wiktionary)

Most of us don't read every page in every book that WotC releases. We all read through at least part of some of the core books, especially the Player's Handbook and Monster Manual. Players need to find out what their spells do. Nothing slows down the game like not knowing the range of the spell you are about to cast. On the flip side, everyone loves reading about monsters. Owlbears are cool, mind flayers are bizarre, and the demon lord Orcus will kill you with a single blow. Monsters make the game fun and interesting, so reading about them is just as neat and fascinating.

A little knowledge can go a long way. Some may think using their action to make a skill check to learn about the monster in front of them is a waste, but nothing could be farther from the truth. A good dice roll, something I would know nothing about, can provide you and your friends with valuable and possibly life-saving knowledge. You, the player, may know that a ghoul is immune to poison, but your character, who has never encountered one, may not. And there lies the crux of this issue.

If a player uses their knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons to have their character do something they obviously wouldn't, it is metagaming. Players will do this accidentally without realizing they are doing it. Getting upset about this is an overreaction, and the DM should explain that their character probably wouldn't have that knowledge, possibly not allowing them to complete the action. I've played with DMs that will offer to let them make a roll to figure out if their character knows said information, which seems fair. A metagamer does this at every turn and is not shy about announcing it to the table.

It's cheating.

Cheating is acting unfairly to gain an advantage; this is clearly what a metagamer is doing. It frustrates the DM and ruins the game for everyone at the table. To me, a metagamer is a showoff who wants to be the person at the table who can always do the most damage and deliver the fatal blow. It's no fun for anyone if that person is constantly doing twice as much damage or never taking any damage. That person needs to be reprimanded…hard. The DM has the power to do so directly, but everyone at the table should let know their actions are bullshit. Now, I understand that is harsh, and many will disagree. This is just one of many ways to deal with a metagamer. So if you're rational (unlike myself when dealing with the metagamer), you may want to consider these other options.

Homebrew - I know this puts extra work on the DM, but don't overthink it. Add or change an immunity, adjust legendary actions or simply give the creature a thicker hide, increasing its natural AC. My favorite minor tweak is to have creatures that wield weapons use poison. The 5th edition poison conditions aren't as dangerous as the save or death rules from the 1st edition, but the DM will send a clear message that what you think you know isn't always right.
Communicate (like an adult) - As you may have figured out, I dislike the metagamer and will tell them that in, shall we say blunt language. There's a good chance that this will cause more problems than it solves. Be a bigger person than me. The best time for the DM to set these expectations is during session 0. Failing that, tell the offending party clearly and firmly that this is not something you allow at the table. If the timing isn't right, pull them aside at the end of the session and have the same conversation. This goes for players too. I get that you may not want to call someone out at the table, but there's nothing wrong with talking about it in private.
Books - Some DM's will run Curse of Strahd, adhering to the text without fail. That's great if that's how you run your game, but there's a good chance at least one or more players have read through the more popular adventures. Instead of running Dungeon of the Mad Mage, get a copy of the Lost Laboratory of Kwalish. Head to the Dump Stat store and try out one of our adventures. Countless authors write adventures for the 5th edition, so I'm confident you'll find something interesting to run. If they are that big of a jerk to run out after the first few sessions, buy the book, and read through it to gain the advantage, I'm not sure what else to say other than tell them to go piss off.
Roll with it - I've seen this solution mentioned in several articles on how to deal with a metagamer. I disagree with this with the passions of a thousand burning suns. Why should people at the table let one person ruin their fun? Even if all the players are OK with it, the DM probably isn't. The DM is supposed to be having fun too!

Don't let these players ruin your table. Address the issue one way or another as soon as you see the metagamer rear its ugly head. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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